3D Printed Ear without Scaffold

Most tissue regenerative strategies rely on a scaffold into which cells stimulated to grow. One difficulty with that is a scaffold collapse before regrowth is complete. Engineers at the University of Illinois-Chicago, however, use a different method. They employ a bioink made of stem cells only, and 3D print a form, such as an ear, in a bath of alginate microbeads supporting medium. Once the structure is firm, the microbeads can be drawn out. See the video of how this is done. MOREWITH VIDEO